The idea of self-care has gained much prominence in our conversations, especially in recent times, perhaps as a counter to the stresses of modern life. A large part of it has to do with mindfulness, though don’t let that word deter you; it simply advocates deliberately spending time to maintain our physical, mental, and emotional health, which is a worthy cause we all can identify with. The CHANEL way of self-care though? Your indulgent wellness moment starts with this new addition to their skincare range — the multi-tasking, yet absolutely luxurious, HYDRA BEAUTY Camellia Repair Mask.
The hydrating mask is equal parts soothing on your skin, and kind to your senses, with a smooth, rich texture that softly cocoons your skin. Just an overnight mask? Not really either. The brilliant part about this is that you can use it any time you feel like you deserve a break. The traditional way would be to swathe your skin with a generous layer in the evening, but you can also apply it just before an important event for a burst of radiance in the morning, or on targeted areas of the face as well, say, after an intense workout. The point is, make time for it. You’ll thank yourself after.
The CHANEL HYDRA BEAUTY Line
First, a little bit about HYDRA BEAUTY. Key word: hydration.
Hydration is the baseline for good skin, whether you’re looking for plump, smooth, even, or radiant skin. And while life may take its toll — workouts, parties, heading out in the sun, or even sitting in an air-conditioned room that dehydrate the skin — it’s all the more important to replenish it with hydrating and nourishing formulas that truly care.
At the heart of CHANEL’s skincare line is the white camellia, the emblematic flower of CHANEL, now with its nourishing benefits encapsulated in micro-droplets and paired with the most lightweight, fresh textures. You’ll find these across the entire range of products such as an essence, serum, the lightweight Camellia Water Cream, which aim to deliver radiant skin. Go ahead and read our review for our take on the HYDRA BEAUTY line.
The New Product: HYDRA BEAUTY Camellia Repair Mask
Now, for the main star. The mask touts itself as a “repair mask”, so we ought to examine exactly how it does that. With that, we’ll start off by delving into its main active ingredients, most of which have been extracted from the white camellia flower, a signature ingredient in the HYDRA BEAUTY line.
- Camellia Alba PFA — A powerful patented active ingredient known for its hydrating performance. It works by stimulating key receptors of the cell membrane, which then recreates essential lipids.
- Camellia Alba OFA — CHANEL Research extracted an ultra-concentrated lipidic active ingredient, rich in polyphenols, from white camellia. This helps with an immediate plumping and smoothing effect.
- Camellia wax — The new nourishing ingredient is derived from camellia seeds, and is combined with a hyaluronic acid derivative, all to lock in moisture while promoting a plumping effect.
- Panthenol (or provitamin B5) — Converted into pantothenic acid in the skin, it is known for its ability to repair and protect the skin barrier.
- Blue Ginger PFA — A blue ginger extract from Madagascar that regulates the skin’s natural self-defense system.
All these work to repair and enrich both the skin barrier, as well as the deeper layers of skin tissue, for an all-encompassing approach to hydration. Your skin will feel refreshed, soothed, and plump.
Other than the ingredients, another integral part of the Camellia Repair Mask has to be its sensorial texture. We’ll talk about this more in the review ahead, but basically, you’ll be expecting a rich, creamy balm mask that envelopes your skin with moisture.
Earlier, we also mentioned its multi-tasking properties, so here are the three ways you can personalise the mask according to your individual needs.
- Burst of radiance: Apply a generous layer of mask on the face. Leave on for 10 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.
- Intense comfort: Apply a thin layer of mask on the face. Leave on for 10 minutes and massage to blend in excess product. Do not rinse.
- Targeted action: Take a small amount of product and massage gently onto dry areas of the face for an instant soothing sensation. You may use this in combination with other skincare masks as well, for that all-rounded “multi-masking” effect.
Review
Indulgent. Everything from the mask’s sleek packaging to its luxurious texture certainly feels that way, which no doubt adds makes this something I’ll want to add to my self-care routine — oh wait, done. It recently also made the list for our NYLON Editor’s Picks.
Texture
I was most impressed by the rich texture of the cream-balm and the whole sensorial experience that’s often talked about in skincare press releases — this time, it’s real. The subtle floral scent that accompanies most of the HYDRA BEAUTY skincare puts you in a particularly indulgent mood, while the mask’s soft texture truly cocoons the skin in a layer of comfort.
More balm than cream, that unique texture still spreads like butter and glistens upon contact, while maintaining a sturdy layer that won’t be easily worn down. Delicate, yet strong. The feeling you’ll get when slowly massaging this onto your skin — somehow, it feels natural to do this slowly — is akin to the bliss of sinking in a cloud. You won’t want that feeling to end.
As an overnight mask
I first tried this as a sleeping mask. Admittedly, it felt a little thick at first especially since I’m used to more lightweight moisturisers, even at night, but this worked wonders for days when my skin felt more dehydrated. The ‘heavy’ feeling doesn’t last long though as the mask sinks into the skin over time, while I did enjoy the extra protection it gave against the harsh air-conditioned environment. Gel formulas, for instance, may not sufficiently protect my skin all through the night, so the lasting hydration of the Camellia Repair Mask is to be admired.
After just one night, my skin already looked better in the morning — the plumped effect was still very obvious, so you know that boost of hydration isn’t just instant, it’s also long-lasting. I did have some recovering spots around my chin area (mask-ne, anybody?), but to my relief, the formula delivered on its soothing benefits and healed those up well. Unlike other sleeping masks, I wouldn’t use this everyday, though I’ll definitely be tempted to reach for it more than once a week! There’s no fixed formula here, so it really depends on what your skin needs.
other USES
In the day, the Camellia Repair Mask proved particularly useful as well. Even if you’re not 100% in tune with your skin, I’m sure you’ll recognise that familiar dehydrated feeling; your skin feels a little tighter, not the good kind, while rough and parched to the touch. On days like these, that discomfort I felt was instantly soothed by this mask, well, after leaving it on for about 10 minutes, that is. A swift midday break and a generous layer later, it did feel like a waste to wash the mask off. However, that rinse didn’t take away from its hydrating benefits. Those short 10 minutes was enough to plump up the skin and completely change its texture to a more supple one, leaving my complexion looking more refreshed than ever.
For its targeted use, I didn’t find much need for it as my skin was either evenly hydrated or dehydrated most of the time. I did test a thin layer of the mask on my cheeks though, since that’s where I usually feel it start to get dehydrated first. Again, there was that feeling of the balm enveloping my skin and replenishing it with moisture. Still, it felt more heavy than I usually prefer for a day moisturiser, understandably, so I’d restrict its use to smaller areas of the face that might need repairing. I can imagine how useful this would be for dehydrated skin after a day out in the sun though, and will save this for such skincare emergencies.
Verdict
More than an overnight mask, the CHANEL HYDRA BEAUTY Camellia Repair Mask is an innovative multi-tasker that delivers on intense hydration and its soothing, restorative benefits — depending on how you use it, you can tailor it to your specific skin needs throughout the day. On top of that, the formula comes in an impressive balmy texture that feels rich and indulgent, making it an ideal product to add to both your beauty and self-care routine.
Chanel Hydra Beauty Camellia Repair Mask, $102. Available at Chanel beauty counters. chanel.com/sg
GIFs
Photography by, Adele Chan using the Leica q2.
Produced by, Shazrina Shamsudin and Amelia Tan.
Model, Shazrina Shamsudin.
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